


Red Light/ Green Light

by expelled_sleep_demon



Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-23
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:34:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25473199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/expelled_sleep_demon/pseuds/expelled_sleep_demon
Summary: Jason walks a child to school.
Comments: 9
Kudos: 48





	1. Back to School Day

**Author's Note:**

  * For [VioletSauce](https://archiveofourown.org/users/VioletSauce/gifts).



Jason climbed down from the rooftop of Wayne Enterprises using the fire escape. He’d been up the whole night and was tired; his immediate plan included walking back to where he had hid his bike, which was a few blocks away. He walked quickly and with purpose, so focused on what was in front of him he failed to notice the sound of quick footsteps behind him.  
  
“Are you Mister Batman?” Jason turned around to see a little boy reaching for his sleeve.  
  
“Oh I’m not-.” Jason saw the worried look on the boy’s face and stopped mid-sentence.  
  
“Are you Mister Batman’s friend?” the boy asked, frowning slightly. Jason nodded and knelt down in front of him.  
  
“I’m one of his sons, Red Hood… Why? Are you in trouble?” Jason took off his helmet and set it off to the side. The little boy shrugged, as though unsure, so Jason took a breath and tried to rephrase his question. “Do you need help?”  
  
“I’m gonna be late for school... Can you walk with me, so my teacher doesn’t get mad?” the boy mumbled.  
  
The little boy adjusted one of the straps on his backpack so he could show Jason the crest on his school uniform, and Jason nodded. He took a moment before standing up to fix the child’s backpack and straighten his collar. The boy waited patiently and thanked Jason softly.  
  
Jason took his phone out of his pocket and checked the time. “I think we’ve got enough time to get you there.” The little boy smiled at that and allowed Jason to lead him through the alleyway.  
  
“Mister Hood, how old are you?” Jason smiled at the question as they turned a corner leading into the streets and stopped at a crosswalk.  
  
“Try and guess,” Jason replied. The little boy looked up at Jason as the streetlight changed and they crossed the street together.  
  
“Sixteen?” Jason held back a laugh. “Older?” Jason nodded.  
  
“A little older yeah. How about you? How old are you?” Jason asked.  
  
“Guess.” He swung Jason’s hand as they walked down the sidewalk together.  
  
“Seven?” The little boy shook his head. “Older?”  
  
“Nope.” the boy quipped.  
  
Jason stopped as he noticed a familiar face among a group of people walking towards Wayne Enterprises and tried to turn the two of them down an alley.  
  
“Hey Hood!” Jason stopped in his tracks, barely managing to hold back a groan, as Tim approached them. “New line of work?” The boy looked up at Jason.  
  
“Don’t you have somewhere you’ve gotta be this morning?” Jason asked in a long-suffering tone.  
  
“No, not really,” Tim smiled. Jason sighed and the boy tugged at his sleeve, reminding Jason to continue to move towards the school. Tim followed shortly. “You work mornings now?”  
  
“I work when I’m needed,” Jason answered, “Can we do this later?”  
  
“When is later?” Jason stopped for a second to think and the little boy let go of his hand for a moment.  
  
“I’ll let you know,” Jason mumbled before parting ways with Tim and making his way toward the apartment building across the street from them, checking to see if the boy was still following.  
  
“Are you mad at him?” the boy questioned. Jason looked at the little boy and shook his head.  
  
“No, I’m not mad. A little irritated, but no, I’m not mad,” Jason reassured him.  
  
“Is he your friend?” the child waited for an answer as Jason rubbed the back of his head, struggling for an answer.  
  
“Um… Yeah, you can say that. We’re gonna go up to the roof of this building, your school is right on the other side of it. Is that okay?” The boy nodded, so Jason knelt down so that he could climb on his back before making his way up the fire escape.  
  
“Is red your favorite color?” the boy mumbled in Jason’s ear as he kept climbing up the fire escape.  
  
“I think so. What’s your favorite color?” Jason stood up on the rooftop and without pause made his way across.  
  
“Yellow,” the little boy answered.  
  
“That’s a nice color. You don’t see a lot of yellow in Gotham anymore, huh?” The little boy held on a little bit tighter as Jason climbed down the side of the apartment building. The little boy seemed to be giving Jason’s question a little thought.  
  
“Signal wears yellow,” the little boy answered. Jason smiled and nodded.  
  
“You’re right, he does wear yellow,” Jason climbed over the railing, slowly, being careful of the small child currently holding onto him, and jumped down from the second story fire escape. “Is his costume your favorite?” He let the child down and the boy nodded. Jason walked him across the crosswalk and into the front gate of the school as children whispered and pointed at Jason.  
  
“My line is that way,” the little boy pointed to a bunch of small children in identical uniforms lined up behind a pink hula hoop.  
  
“Told you we’d make it here on time,” Jason smiled. The little boy stood still for a moment, holding Jason’s hand; Jason tried to conceal his exhaustion with a smile. Finally, the little boy let go of his hand.  
  
“What’s wrong?” the child looked directly into Jason’s eyes. Jason shrugged it off. “Are you sleepy?”  
  
“Um, yeah… I am a little tired. Why?” Jason asked. The little boy didn’t answer. Jason nodded, deciding to leave it alone.  
  
He pulled at Jason’s sleeve, so Jason knelt down, and the little boy embraced him. Jason was hesitant at first, but he wrapped his arms around the small child. “Thank you Mister Jason,” the little boy whispered and Jason stood up as soon as the child let go of him.  
  
“How do you know-. Who are you?” The little boy stepped back a little and Jason took a breath and relaxed his shoulders before lowering his voice. “How do you know my name?”  
  
“You said it in your head…” Jason mouthed what the boy said as if he didn’t believe it at first. The bell rang and the boy turned to see his line before turning toward Jason and stating softly, “My name’s Daniel… I won’t tell anyone. I promise.”  
  
“Does anyone know about-.” Jason noticed a teacher walking towards Daniel’s line. “Your line’s about to leave. We’ll talk another time, okay?”


	2. Hide and Seek

Jason rolled out of his bed at one in the afternoon to the sound of his phone ringing. “Tim?” Jason asked with a hoarse voice. He cleared his throat before asking, “What do you want?”  
  
“Nothing important. Do you want me to call back later?” Tim asked. Jason put his phone on speaker and put it on his bedside table.  
  
“No, um… Actually something happened today and I wanted to ask for your opinion,” Jason paused for a moment, “When was the last time you tracked someone?”  
  
“Depends on the context… Should we be talking about this over the phone?” Tim asked. Jason didn’t say anything for a moment. He wondered if it was right to let anyone know about Daniel. “Jason?”  
  
“No, we probably shouldn’t. I’ll come over.” Jason answered. Tim made an affirmative noise over the phone and Jason hung up.  
  
He made his bed and got cleaned up before picking his keys up, locking the door and leaving his house. Once outside, Jason got on his bike and rode off. Jason took the shortest route possible. It wasn’t that Jason was in a rush, more like he was afraid he’d change his mind.  
  
Jason parked his bike in the cave, taking off his helmet and leaving it there, and made his way up to the manor to find Tim. He checked the dining room first, grabbing a banana from the fruit bowl, before continuing to the kitchen. Tim stood by the microwave and turned toward Jason. “Oh, hey, that was quick., So, I was really curious after you hung up, who are you looking into?”  
  
Jason sat at the kitchen island and took a bite of his banana. “Thing is, I don’t know if I have a reason to look into this kid.” Tim turned around and looked at Jason.  
  
“What’s this about? The five-year-old you walked to school this morning?” Tim asked. Jason took another bite before setting his banana to the side.  
  
“Yeah, and he’s six not five.” Jason corrected Tim and took a breath. Tim let out a laugh.  
  
“What’d he do? Push somebody off the jungle gym?” Tim joked. Jason shook his head.  
  
“It’s nothing like that. I think he’s a meta… No, I know he’s a meta.” Jason trailed off. The microwave beeped and Tim pulled a bowl out and placed it on the island.  
  
“Do you mind being specific?” Tim questioned as he grabbed a spoon from the kitchen drawer. Jason didn’t answer. “Give me a hint at least.”  
  
“He knew my name. I know he didn’t mean anything by it, and I don’t think he’s going to tell anyone… I just need to know some things.” Jason answered. “But first I need to know his full name.” Tim started eating.  
  
“And how do you suppose I’m gonna find this kid’s full name?” Tim asked. Jason huffed.  
  
“I have a first name. I just need you to get into the school’s database. I would do it myself, but I think I might change my mind.” Jason confessed.  
  
“So you do have a conscience after-.”  
  
“When it comes to kids I do. I don’t want to upend him or anything, I just want to know two things about the kid… His first name is Daniel, he goes to Gotham Academy.” Jason interrupted. Tim typed something on his phone.  
  
“What are you trying to find out about him?” Tim asked.  
  
“His full name and where he lives.” Jason replied.  
  
The room grew silent as Tim continued to look on his phone. Jason finished his banana and threw the peel in the garbage bin before cleaning his spot on the island. Tim looked up from his phone briefly. Jason walked over to the fridge and poked at some pictures hanging up.  
  
“Where’s everyone else?” Jason asked.  
  
“Bruce had a meeting and took Damian with him.” Tim answered. “You’re not gonna like this.” Tim handed Jason his phone. Jason looked at the child’s school photo and information on file.  
  
“His full name and address are right here. I don’t know why-.”  
  
“Look at the address, the building’s been condemned for two years now. Jason, why did you want to look into this kid?” Tim asked. “I mean, you didn’t think he was a threat, so why did you-.” Jason gave Tim’s phone back.  
  
“Because I needed to know if I should get involved… Tim, don’t tell anybody about this just yet.” Jason turned to leave the room and Tim made a noise and got up to follow him. “Thanks-.”  
  
“What’s your plan?” Tim mumbled. Jason shrugged and made his way back to the cave and to his bike. He stood there for a moment, trying to think of what to do when he got to the school; he couldn’t think of anything but the questions he had for Daniel.  
  
He rode all the way to the school and waited for the bell to ring. A man standing at the gate smiled at him. Jason smiled back. “First day of school?” the man asked.  
  
“Huh? Yeah, isn’t it the first day of school for everybody?” Jason asked. The man chuckled.  
  
“No, I meant is it your kid’s first day of school?” he asked. Jason shook his head.  
  
“Oh no, I don’t-. He’s not my kid, I’m just supposed to pick him up today. His mom couldn’t make it.” Jason lied. The man nodded. A custodian came by and took the padlock off of the gate, opening the gate doors on one side.  
  
“I only asked because you look a little young. Are you a babysitter?” the man asked. Jason nodded. The bell rang and children flooded out of the classrooms and towards the gate.  
  
Jason looked closely at all the children as they passed by and tapped the shoulder of a dark-haired little boy. “Daniel?” Jason asked. The little boy looked up at him and made a face. “Sorry.” Jason looked over the children’s heads and pushed through to where he’d dropped Daniel off earlier that day, only to feel someone tug his shirttail.  
  
“What’s wrong?” Daniel asked and Jason knelt down in front of him.  
  
“Can I walk you home?” Jason asked. Daniel gave Jason his hand.  
  
“I didn’t lie to you.” Daniel mumbled.  
  
“No, I know that. I know you didn’t lie to me, but you are lying to your school, aren’t you?” Jason asked, his voice was soft. Daniel shrugged. “Where’s your family?” Jason asked.  
  
“I dunno. This is where my mom told me to wait.” Daniel whispered. Jason stopped walking once they crossed the street.  
  
“When was that?” Jason asked. Daniel looked up at Jason and mouthed something as if he was trying to remember. “Was it a long time or a short time ago?”  
  
“A long time.” Daniel answered. Jason stood up and took the boy’s hand and started walking down towards the park. “Are you scared?”  
  
“No. I’m worried. Are you hungry?” Jason asked. The little boy swung his hand while they walked.  
  
“No…” Daniel mumbled.  
  
“Are you sure you’re not hungry? I’m hungry.” Jason answered. Daniel looked at Jason and Jason flashed him a smile.  
  
“I’m hungry.” Daniel answered. Jason didn’t say anything else for a while, he walked Daniel to the park and sat him down on a bench.  
  
“You know what I’m gonna say, right?” Jason asked.  
  
“You’ll be right back?” Daniel asked.  
  
“I promise. You drink soda?” Jason asked. Daniel nodded. “I’m gonna get you a soda.” Jason waved before crossing the street and entering the restaurant and standing in line. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and made a call.  
  
“What’s up?” Tim asked.  
  
“I’m getting him something to eat right now.” Jason answered. Tim made a noise over the phone.  
  
“You picked him up from school… Jason, did you think before you did that?” Tim asked.  
  
“No, I didn’t think, and it’s a good thing I didn’t. He has no idea where his parents are.” Jason answered.  
  
“What are you gonna do with him? Drop him off somewhere?” Tim asked.  
  
“I can’t really do that can I?” Jason paused. “I guess he’ll stay with me until I figure something out.” Jason moved up in the line and looked up at the menu on the wall.  
  
“You’re going to let a kid stay with you? You, Jason Todd, are going to let a kid sleep in your house?” Tim chuckled.  
  
“Very funny. It’s all I can do right now. Hey hold on. I’m gonna order something.” Jason stepped up to the counter.  
  
“Can I take your order?” asked the woman at the counter.  
  
“Yeah, can I get an order of chicken tenders, two orders of fries, a chili burger, and two orange sodas…” Jason waited as she gave him his total. “Doing alright?” She nodded.  
  
“Fine, thank you. How are you?” she asked.  
  
“Oh I’m alright.” Jason answered. She gave him his total and he tipped her.  
  
“You’re number two-oh-four on your receipt.” she smiled at him. Jason sat down at one of the indoor tables, waiting for his number to get called.  
  
“Still there?” Jason asked.  
  
“Yeah, I’m still here. About the kid, how long do you really think you can keep him around? Be honest.” Tim’s voice was serious.  
  
“As long as I have to until I could find someone I can trust to take him in.” Jason answered. “Listen, I know you don’t think it’s a good idea, but he can’t stay on the streets by himself.”  
  
The woman at the counter called Jason’s number and he picked up his bag before stepping outside. He looked across the street and cursed to himself. “What happened?” Tim asked.  
  
“He’s gone.” Jason answered. “I’ll call you back.” Jason hung up the phone.


	3. Homework

Jason sat on the park bench eating, in the hopes that Daniel would return. After he finished eating, he noticed something different about the park. He couldn’t tell what it was at first, so he stood up and made his way over to the jungle gym. “Daniel? I came back.” Jason whispered. Jason heard a noise. “Are you hiding? I thought you left.” Jason looked underneath the slide and let out a sigh of relief. Daniel smiled at him. “Come eat, okay?”  
  
“Mister Jason?” Daniel asked as he followed Jason back to the bench. Jason opened Daniel’s can of soda.  
“You don’t have to call me Mister, Jason’s just fine.” Jason handed Daniel a napkin and his food shortly after.  
  
“Did you think I was gone?” Daniel asked before taking a sip of soda. Jason nodded.  
  
“I did. How long have you been able to hear other people’s thoughts?” Jason asked. Daniel shrugged.  
“I can do other stuff,” Daniel mumbled. Jason nodded, not wanting to press Daniel for an answer.

“What else can you do?” Jason asked.  
  
“I can make myself invisible if I don’t want you to see me,” Daniel answered, waiting for Jason’s reaction. “And I can fix things.” Daniel went back to eating his food.

“What do you mean when you say you can fix things?” Jason asked, allowing Daniel to finish chewing before asking another question. “What can you fix?”

“I can put memories away,” Daniel whispered. Jason was at a loss for words. “I can’t get rid of them… I can just put them away.”

“Like locking them away?” Jason asked. Daniel shook his head.

“Can I show you later?” Daniel asked. Jason didn’t say anything for a moment, and Daniel finished off the rest of his food. “Do you want to know how much I can hear?”

Jason nodded. “You can tell me in a little bit, okay?” Jason whispered. Daniel sipped his soda and kicked his feet. “Do you wanna get anything before we leave?” Daniel shook his head. “What about your pajamas?” Daniel shook his head.

“No,” Daniel insisted. Jason nodded and started gathering Daniel’s trash and put it back in the bag. “Are you like me?”

“Hm?” Jason asked. Daniel didn’t say anything else. Jason stood up and threw their trash away and took Daniel’s hand. They walked a few blocks down the street. Daniel tried to fix his backpack, and Jason stopped walking. “Want me to hold your backpack?” Daniel nodded. Jason took the bag and carried it on one shoulder.

“I have to do my homework,” Daniel whispered.

“I’ll help you as soon as we finish running a few errands, I promise.” Jason walked them into a little store and walked Daniel straight to the children’s section. “Do you want to stay at my house for a little while Daniel?”

“Okay,” Daniel whispered. Jason picked up a folded pair of pajama pants and held them up to Daniel, folding them back before picking up a smaller pair.

“Please hold these for a second.” Jason handed Daniel the smaller pair and started looking for t-shirts. “Are you too old for sharks and dinosaurs?” Jason asked. Daniel shook his head, and Jason unfolded one to check the size.

“Do you like sharks or dinosaurs better?” Daniel asked. Jason shrugged.

“Um… I’d have to say dinosaurs. I’ve never seen a real dinosaur before.” Jason answered.

A woman came up to Jason and asked, “Hi, how can I help you?”

“Oh, no, thank you. I’m just looking for clothes that fit my nephew.” Jason smiled.

Daniel looked up at Jason and grinned. “You lied too.” Daniel’s voice floated around in Jason’s head, and Jason flinched. The woman left them alone to shop, and Jason knelt in front of Daniel.

“I know I lied, so we’re both even. I didn’t lie to you.” Jason whispered as he picked out a few more pairs of pajama pants. “Can you try these on while I make a call?” Jason asked. He took Daniel to the dressing rooms and sat in a chair.

“Which ones do you want me to put on?” Daniel asked.

“The ones you like. When you're done, I’ll be sitting right here,” Jason answered. Daniel closed the dressing room door, and Jason made a call.

“Hello? Did you find him?” Tim asked.

“He was just playing with me… That’s not why I called though.” Jason answered.

“Why did you call?” Tim made noise with something in the background.

“Can you go to my house and make things a little more kid-friendly before we get there?” Jason asked.

“How long until you two get there?” Tim replied. Daniel stepped out of the dressing room in a pair of pajamas.

“It's a good fit. Do you like 'em?” Jason asked. Daniel nodded. “Bring them back. I’ll hold them for you, okay?”

Daniel nodded and went back into the dressing room.

“Where are you right now,” Tim asked.

“I’m getting him a few things to wear while he’s staying with me… I won’t be home for another hour and a half probably. I’ll take him to the library to do his homework.” Jason answered. Daniel came back out in his uniform and handed Jason two pairs of pajamas, “Thank you. Do you want to look around for a little bit? Pick out a toothbrush?”

“Okay,” Daniel smiled. Jason stood up and followed behind Daniel.

“I’m on my way to your house right now,” Tim replied.

“Do you know where the key is,” Jason asked.

“Yeah, I’ll call you in an hour. Bye,” Tim hung up the phone and Daniel looked over at Jason.

“Was that your friend,” Daniel asked. “The one from earlier?”

“Yeah, and he’s my brother… Toothbrushes are one aisle down. Pick out a few you like and hold onto them until we get to the line.” Jason whispered. Daniel picked out three toothbrushes and looked at Jason.

“Are you gonna get one,” Daniel asked. Jason nodded and picked a random toothbrush and a children’s toothpaste. “Jason?”

“Hm,” Jason answered. Daniel looked at Jason.

“How long am I gonna stay with you,” Daniel asked. Jason shrugged.

“I’m not sure yet. It depends on how soon I can find your parents,” Jason answered, “I’ll take you to school and pick you up just like I did today until I find them.” Jason took Daniel back to the children’s section and picked out a few more items he thought Daniel would need, before heading towards the register. Jason stood in line behind a woman for a little while before she turned around.

“Do you wanna go ahead of me,” she asked. Jason shook his head.

“No thank you. We’re fine.” Jason smiled. She gestured for them to go ahead.

“I insist. At least put your items on the counter,” she replied.

“Thank you.” Jason nodded before doing just that. Soon after that, the cashier rang them up and they were on their way to the library.

“When’s the last time you did homework,” Daniel asked.

“It depends on what you think homework is,” Jason answered as he opened the door to the library.

“Do you like your brother,” Daniel asked. Jason nodded.

“Sure. I’d be there for him if he needed me,” Jason answered. Jason walked them to a table and put Daniel’s bags down on the ground, before taking Daniel’s handing the backpack to Daniel. “Here’s my agenda,” Daniel whispered, passing Jason his agenda. Jason flipped to the first page with writing on it.   
“You gotta pick out two books and write a few sentences about your summer… Is that it,” Jason asked. Daniel nodded. “And then I can sign this form?”

“Uh-huh,” Daniel answered. “Are you gonna pick a book too?”

“Sure. I’ll pick out a book or two.” Jason answered. “Pick your books out first, and I’ll watch your stuff.” Daniel nodded and left the table. Jason sat idly for a few minutes before putting Daniel’s folder back in his backpack. Jason then turned to see if Daniel was still looking for books. His phone rang, and he silenced it before answering. “Tim, are you done already,” Jason whispered.

“No… Do you use all of this stuff,” Tim asked.

“Of course I do. Lift the rug and there’s an escape hatch, hide everything down there. I’ll put a padlock on it when I get home,” Jason answered. “How long do you think it’ll be before you’re done?”

“Depends on what you keep in your bathroom,” Tim joked. “You know you owe me two now?”

“I know,” Jason whispered. “Tim?”

“Yeah,” Tim asked.

Jason tapped his fingers on the table before taking a deep breath and answering with a muffled, “Thank you.” Tim made an affirmative noise over the phone. “Call me back when you're done, okay? Bye.” Jason hung up the phone and let out a deep sigh.

Daniel made his way over and put one book down on the table. “I’ll be right back,” he whispered, and Jason nodded. Jason waited several more minutes before Daniel came back with another book. “Your turn,” Jason smiled and stood up.

“Start your sentences, okay? I won’t take long,” Jason whispered before walking over towards the classic novels, making sure to glance over at Daniel now and again. After a while of searching through the shelves, Jason managed to pick up three books. Two of which were for Daniel’s entertainment. He returned to the table, waiting for Daniel to finish writing his sentences.


	4. Bedtime Story

Daniel waited while Jason unlocked the door. “When we go in, I want you to take your shoes off, and I’ll run you a bath. After that, I’ll make you a snack, and you can pick what we do after, okay?” Jason opened the door allowing Daniel to enter first. He followed behind, kicking his shoes off and placing Daniel’s bags on the floor.

“Jason?” he asked as Jason untied his tie and hung it up on a coat hanger.

“Hm?” Jason asked. He took Daniel’s uniform jacket, draping it over one arm.

“Can I pick anything?” Daniel asked. Jason nodded.

“Sure, but it’s a school night, so we’ve got until eight to do it,” Jason answered. Jason walked towards his dresser, setting aside just enough space for Daniel’s things, and he placed the things he bought for Daniel in the drawers, leaving a few specific items out for Daniel to wear. “Here you go. Wait right here.” Jason handed Daniel his pajamas and went straight to the bathroom to run Daniel a bath. He left the water to run for a moment while he watched Daniel look around.

“What kind of snack are we gonna have?” Daniel asked.

“Not sure yet,” Jason answered. He made his way back to the bathroom to turn the cold water on and check to see how hot the bathwater was. He waited a moment before turning the water off. “The water’s ready.” Jason left the bathroom, allowing Daniel to enter it and close the door. He washed his hands and prepared to bake cookies. Jason worked calmly and quietly, mixing the ingredients, finally adding chocolate chips and spraying a pan. Once he put the cookies in the oven to bake, he started taking out items to make a grilled cheese sandwich.

Once he finished cooking, he washed his dishes and made Daniel’s plate. He gave Daniel half of the sandwich and poured him a glass of milk, and waited until the cookies finished baking to knock on the bathroom door. “Snack’s ready,” Jason stated.

“Okay,” Daniel answered. Jason set the table, waiting for Daniel to come out and eat with him. Daniel came out a few minutes later in his pajamas, and he sat at the table with Jason.

“Do you eat grilled cheese? I only made you half because I wasn’t—.” Daniel started eating his half of the sandwich, and a smile spread across Jason’s face as a result.

They ate quietly for a moment until Daniel finished chewing and whispered a small, “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me until after you try the cookies. I haven’t made them since I was a kid.” Jason joked. Daniel smiled at him.  
“Who did you make cookies with, Batman?” Daniel asked. Jason shook his head.

“No, actually, it was the man who taught Batman how to make cookies,” Jason answered. Daniel took a sip of his milk and started on his cookies. “What do you wanna do after we eat?”

“Can I see the books you got from the library?” Daniel asked. Jason nodded.

“We can do that,” Jason answered softly. He went back to eating and waited until Daniel finished his milk to ask, “Are you full, or do you want another cookie?”

Daniel shook his head. “I’m full,” Daniel answered, and Jason took his plate and glass to the sink.

Jason started to wash the dishes before clearly telling Daniel where his library books were. As he scrubbed the dishes clean, he rested them on the rack to dry, only stopping once Daniel came over to ask, “Can we read this one?” Jason looked at the book in Daniel’s hands and nodded.

“We can read that one. Go brush your teeth, and I’ll finish washing the dishes.” Jason instructed. He watched Daniel put the book on Jason’s bed and look through the bags for his toothbrush. “Daniel, it’s in the bag by the dresser. You can leave the trash in the bag.”

“Thank you.” Daniel smiled before taking his toothbrush and toothpaste out of the bag. Jason turned back to the sink and finished washing the dishes. Once he finished, he went to his wardrobe and pulled out some blankets and placed them on the floor.

Daniel came out of the bathroom, smiling to show Jason how well he’d brushed his teeth, and Jason answered him with a gentle smile. “Are you ready?” Daniel nodded, and Jason pulled the blankets back on the bed and let Daniel climb in. Jason sat on a floor pillow. Once he could see that Daniel was comfortable, he started reading, only stopping to answer Daniel’s questions.

“Jason?” Daniel interrupted, and his voice was soft, almost distant. “Why are they giving him a cabin? I thought they were going on a boat…”

“A cabin is a room on a boat, like a bedroom,” Jason explained as Daniel closed his eyes.

“Jason?” Daniel whispered before sitting up and opening his eyes. “Are you going to stay all night?”

“Of course. I’ll be here all night, I promise.”Jason answered as he sat the book on his night table.

“In this room?” Daniel asked.

“I’m gonna take a shower, but I’ll come right back, and I’ll sleep right here on the floor,” Jason reassured. “Do you want me to leave a light on until I come back?”

Daniel nodded and lay on his side, facing Jason. “Are you tired too?”

Jason shook his head and took his pajamas out of the dresser. ”Not too tired, but I’ll be ready to go to sleep soon.” Jason paused a moment to fix Daniel’s blankets before whispering, “This is one of the safest places in Gotham.” Jason walked to the bathroom to take his shower. Jason moved quickly, cleaning up the bathroom and brushing his teeth; he went back to the bedroom to lay out his blankets on the floor.  
  
Daniel watched him with half-closed eyes and waited for Jason to turn off the lights and lie down before closing his eyes fully. “Night night Jason.”

“Night night Daniel,” Jason replied gently before closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep.


	5. Alarm Clock

Jason awakened at four in the morning, looking up to see if Daniel was still there. Daniel lay fast asleep facing Jason just as he had been earlier. He made his way to the bathroom to shower and get dressed, before brushing his teeth. He took a moment to check his face in the mirror. Afterward, he put Daniel’s uniform and his laundry in the wash, and quietly made his way to the kitchen.

He took a paper bag and wrote Daniel’s name on the front, before taking out a knife and his cutting board. He cut a few oranges in half and washed his hands as he prepared to use the juicer. He cranked the handle pressing each orange half, patiently squeezing the juice from every half until the cup was near full. He then took a jar with a cheesecloth strapped neatly around the top with a rubber band and poured the juice through carefully. Once he was done separating the pulp from the juice he squeezed the cheesecloth for any remnants of juice. He threw the cheesecloth in the sink and put a lid on the jar, placing it in the refrigerator.

He then decided to make sandwiches and cut and grill peaches for a salad. After about an hour, Jason started washing dishes and put the clothes in the dryer. He stopped working only when he heard Daniel make a small noise. “Jason?” Daniel mumbled. Jason could hear Daniel’s footsteps grow closer until Daniel whispered once more, a half-asleep, “Jason?”

Jason turned around to see Daniel rubbing his eyes and he smiled. “Good morning. Go brush your teeth and I’ll make you some waffles.” Daniel stood still for a moment and opened his arms. “Oh?” Jason crouched down to hug him.

“You stayed the whole night?” Daniel asked. Jason nodded.

“I promised you I would. Go brush your teeth okay?” Jason whispered. Daniel made his way to his bathroom to brush his teeth while Jason started on the waffles, and his phone rang. He left the kitchen, making his way back to the bedroom, and picked the phone up. “Hello?”

“What happened last night?” Tim asked. Jason walked back to the kitchen to look for the waffle iron.  
  
“What do you mean what happened last night?” Jason asked.

“With the kid? Is he still asleep?” Tim asked. Jason started mixing up the waffle batter.

“Oh yeah, no. He woke up a second ago, I’m making him breakfast right now while his uniform dries.” Jason answered.

“I wonder…” Tim whispered.

“What?” Jason asked.

Tim chuckled before replying with a half-sarcastic, “I wonder if you enjoy being a dad.” Jason sighed.

“I’m not being a dad. I’m being… I don’t know what I’m being but I’m not a parent. Far from it.” Jason corrected. Daniel re-entered the room looking around for something. “Your clothes should be finished drying by now. Can you go check for me?” Jason asked.

“Okay,” Daniel answered quietly.

“Wait? Are you doing laundry and making breakfast?” Tim asked. Jason made an affirmative noise.  
  
“I’ve done a lot this morning. Why? Are you trying to help me find them?” Jason asked, taking plates and cups out and leaving them on the kitchen island as he started preparing the waffle iron for use.

“Do you still want me to help?” Tim asked. Jason didn’t answer for a moment.

“Um… I can’t ask you to unless you choose to yourself.” Jason answered. “I’ll call you after I drop him off.”  
  
“I’ll tell you what I find,” Tim answered. “Talk to you later.” Tim hung up leaving Jason to finish making breakfast. Daniel came up to Jason.

“They’re dry,” Daniel whispered.

“Good, put your uniform on my bed. You can leave everything else in the dryer if you want.” Jason whispered. Jason made six waffles and opened the fridge to take out some strawberries he’d cut a few days before as he watched Daniel walk past him towards the bedroom with his uniform and then back to the kitchen.

“Done.” Daniel smiled.

“Thank you. Do you want whipped cream or syrup on your waffles?” Jason asked as he made Daniel’s plate cutting his waffles into bite-sized pieces and he sprinkled strawberries on top.

“Syrup please,” Daniel answered. Jason nodded pouring a small amount of syrup over his waffles and opening the fridge once more to pour Daniel a glass of orange juice. He then made his plate and glass of orange juice, and he brought their things to the table. “Jason?”

“Hm?” Jason asked as he started to eat his breakfast.

“Do you always eat by yourself?” Daniel asked. Jason nodded. “You’re not lonely?”

“Not really, no,” Jason answered cooly.

“You’re lying,” Daniel replied, taking a sip of his orange juice.

Jason screwed up his face before whispering, “Not to you.” For the first time in a long time, Jason felt embarrassed.

“Why would you lie to yourself about being lonely?” Daniel asked. His eyes softened as he studied Jason.

“I don’t know…” Jason answered honestly, before going back to eating. “I’m gonna be honest with you Daniel, I don’t have a lot of experience with people that can do what you can. It scares me a little to know you can be inside my head.” Jason confessed. Daniel nodded.

“I can’t see it all. Not all the time.” Daniel reassured. Jason finished eating and drank his juice.

“What do you mean?” Jason asked, waiting for Daniel to finish eating so he could take Daniel’s plate.  
  
“When people think it’s like they put everything inboxes. Some of the boxes are locked and some are open.” Daniel explained. “You’ve got a lot of locked boxes.”

“That’s best for both of us Daniel,” Jason whispered, making his way to the bedroom and taking the ironing board and iron out of his wardrobe. Daniel followed him out to the living room, watching as Jason ironed his uniform.

“Do you like me?” Daniel asked.

“Of course I like you,” Jason answered. “I just take a minute to warm up to people.” Daniel nodded as Jason passed him his uniform shirt. “Do you want milk or orange juice with your lunch?”

“Orange juice,” Daniel answered. “Jason?”

“Yeah Daniel?” Jason asked, passing Daniel his uniform pants.

“You’re not gonna find them.” Daniel paused, looking down at the floor.

“Tell me after you get dressed for school, okay?” Jason whispered, turning his back to make the bed. Daniel obeyed, leaving Jason alone to clean up and think.

After a few minutes, Daniel came back in uniform, and Jason held his tie in hand. “Jason I lied to you.” Daniel wouldn’t look up at him as tears fell from his eyes. Jason sat on the bed and opened his arms.

“Don’t worry about telling me right now… Come here okay?” Jason whispered and Daniel hugged him. “If you don’t want me to find your parents, I won’t try to. I don’t want you to focus on that right now. Just have a good day at school today.” Jason let go of Daniel and flashed him a smile. “I’m not mad at you.”

“Promise?”

“Promise,” Jason whispered. “Go put your socks and shoes on.”


End file.
